Calcarius lapponicus

A sparrow-sized (6 ½ inches) songbird, the Lapland Longspur is among the most striking birds in much of its range. Breeding males may be identified by their black face and bib, yellowish-orange bill, reddish-brown collar, white eye-stripe, and white tail-edges. Females have similarly-patterned plumage but are duller and more streaked. Both sexes are much duller in their winter plumages than they are in summer. The Lapland Longspur is found widely across the Northern Hemisphere, and is the only longspur to occur outside of North America. In North America, this species breeds across the high arctic from Alaska east to Greenland and south to the Hudson Bay. In winter, Lapland Longspurs may be found in the greatest numbers on the Great Plains south of the Canadian border, with smaller numbers in the northeast and along the Pacific coast. In the Old World, this species breeds in Scandinavia and Russia, wintering as far south as Britain, Central Asia, and East Asia. Lapland Longspurs breed on tundra, particularly in areas that are wet or well vegetated. In winter, this species inhabits a number of open habitat types, including grasslands, fields, and lakeshores. Lapland Longspurs primarily eat seeds, but may eat insects and other invertebrates when available, especially during the breeding season. Due to its remote breeding habitat, most birdwatchers never see Lapland Longspurs during the summer. In winter, this species may be observed in large flocks foraging for food on grasslands or fields. Longspurs may be seen walking or running on the ground as well as in the air flying between feeding areas. This species is primarily active during the day.

Threat Status: Least concern

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: Circumpolar. BREEDS: Alaska, northern Canada (including arctic archipelago), Greenland, northern Eurasia. WINTERS: in North America mainly from southern Canada south to southeastern California, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Maryland (rarely farther south); also in Old World.

Length: 16 cm

Weight: 27 grams

Systems

• Terrestrial
• Freshwater
• Marine

Comments: Arctic tundra in wet meadows, grassy tussocks and scrub, in migration and winter in weedy and grassy areas, plowed fields and stubble (AOU 1983). Nests on hummocky tundra, often in wet areas. Nests on ground in depression, frequently concealed by surrounding vegetation (Harrison 1978); often on south side of cottongrass tussock or polygon ridge (Johnson and Herter 1989). See also Rodrigues (1994).

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Starts northward migration in March, arrives on breeding grounds usually April-June (Terres 1980), mainly May in Beaufort Sea region; most depart Beaufort Sea area by end of August (Johnson and Herter 1989).

Comments: Feeds on insects and seeds during the summer; eats mostly seeds during the winter.

Often seen in flocks, frequently in association with horned larks, snow buntings, or pipits. Breeding territories 3-8 hectares (Tryon and McLean 1980).

Maximum longevity: 6 years (wild)

Eggs are laid beginning in early June in coastal areas of Beaufort Sea region. Clutch size is 3-7 (usually 4-6). Incubation, by female, lasts 12-13 days (Terres 1980). Young are tended by both adults, leave nest at 8-10 days, fly at about 12 days. Each adult separately feeds part of brood for 15 days more after nest departure. Males may nate with and assist at nest of more than one female in a season (Johnson and Herter 1989). Breeding density ranges up to 200+ birds per sq km in some areas on northern Alaska (Johnson and Herter 1989).

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 13
Specimens with Barcodes: 14
Species With Barcodes: 1

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

There are 13 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.

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Year Assessed

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Contributor/s

Justification

History

• 2008
  Least Concern
• 2004
  Least Concern

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B,N5N : N5B: Secure - Breeding, N5N: Secure - Nonbreeding

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B,N5N : N5B: Secure - Breeding, N5N: Secure - Nonbreeding

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure